Beware of ticket fraud

As we head into summer, people are getting prepared for a jam-packed few months of festivals, sporting events, concerts and of course holidays, however this can be a prime time for fraudsters.

Derbyshire Constabulary is teaming up with Get Safe Online to urge consumers to be careful around this time of year in light of new figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).

The report revealed that 33 per cent of crime reports related to ticket fraud in 2014 happened in the months May, June and July.

This is largely due to the number of UK festivals and high-profile concerts taking place during these months, giving ticket fraudsters far more opportunities to strike.

Although overall levels of ticket fraud have dipped 11 per cent since 2013, a staggering total of £3.35 million was still lost to ticket fraud in 2014, with victims losing on average £250 each.

In 2014, there was also a six per cent rise in teenagers being targeted by ticket scams, going hand in hand with an increase of social media sites being used by suspects to facilitate ticket fraud.

Some crime prevention advice includes not replying to unsolicited emails from sellers you don’t recognise, ensuring a link is secure before entering payment card details on a website, safeguarding and remembering passwords you have chosen for extra verification services and using sites such as PayPal rather than directly transfering money into a seller’s account.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, you should report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 1232040 or by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

For further advice on how to stay safe online, go to www.GetSafeOnline.org.